Antiquities Committee

Ezbet Khairalla has been blessed with five antiquities sites, of which two are of significant importance. The sites date more than four centuries and have been subjected to degradation due to the lack of services characteristic of the area. One of the sites is a religious shrine, the "Tahouna", has been salvaged from ruin by an adjacent church. Indeed it has been restored to the extent that tourists and regular pilgrims come to this site.

The restoration of the other major site, the "Dabakhana", is a major undertaking, in view of its size and significance. To this end, we approached the Higher Council for Antiquities, and Dr. Zahi Hawas paid a visit to the site, upon which he quickly decided to start restoration with plans for a complete transformation of the surrounding grounds. It is hoped that within three years the premises will have been turned into a munitions museum and tourist information center. It is our hope that this project would become an economic stimulus, providing opportunities for job and income generation in the area.

Peace & Plenty sees its role as coordinating the progress between the restoration efforts, the surrounding population, and the construction plans of clean and waste water pipes. Is our goal to maximize the potential benefits of this project to the area.